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Central England Co-operative supports project to develop the next JK Rowling or Stephen King

Central England Co-op is supporting a new project in East Staffordshire which aims to develop children’s creative writing skills by providing a special donation to spark their imaginations.

The Society is supporting the Developing Writers of the Future project taking place at schools within the Central Co-operative Learning Trust, with the donation of hundreds of bespoke writing journals for pupils.

The 600 journals have been supplied by the Western Membership and Community Council (MCC) and it is hoped they will inspire pupils to do more writing outside of school time. Among the schools taking part in the project are Outwoods Primary School in Burton, John of Rolleston Primary School in Rolleston-on-Dove and William Shrewsbury Primary School in Stretton.

James Knight, Member and Community Relations Officer at Central England Co-op, said: “We are delighted to support this great project. This fits in perfectly with the Co-operative and its long tradition of giving back to the community.

“We welcome the opportunity to make a real difference to the lives and education of local children and this project is already proving to be successful and inspiring the pupils to get creative – hopefully we have the next JK Rowling in our midst!”

As part of the project children at the schools are taking part in a wide range of activities and research about how writers think and the skills they use to create their stories, whether factual or fiction. The journals are a method for the children to record ideas, phrases and thoughts.

“The aim is to enable the children to make notes, draw pictures and plan their work in a book that is not their school book. This means they can write freely, be truly creative and hopefully encouraged to enjoy writing.

“The children are thoroughly enjoying the activity and creating some amazing pieces. Without the generous support of Central England Co-operative we would not be able to do this so we truly appreciate it on behalf of our very creative children.”

The Western Membership and Community Council is made up of Co-op members who are passionate about their community and want to make a difference within it. Each council is given funding and support by the Society to organise activities and events.

People can find out more about the work of the MCC by visiting https://www.members.coop/

Notes to editors

About Central England Co-operative

Central England Co-operative is one of the largest independent retail co-operative societies in the UK.

It is a modern, forward-looking organisation employing over 8,000 staff, with the Society’s principal areas of activity being food, funeral services, travel shops, and property investment.

Central England Co-operative is proud of its reputation for ethical business practices and corporate responsibility. It is a member of Business in the Community, the membership organisation that stands for responsible business, and has also won many business awards for excellence. The Society supports a number of charities including Dementia UK and invests a percentage of its trading profit into local communities.

Becoming a member of Central England Co-operative offers a whole host of benefits ranging from collecting points every time you spend in store to earn a share of the profits, access to members activities and community initiatives including the Community Dividend Fund, which hands out grants of up to £5,000 to charities and good causes across the Society’s trading estate.

Find out how to become a Central England Co-operative member by calling 0800 0501 601, emailing members@centralengland.coop or visiting https://www.members.coop

For more information visit www.centralengland.coop, follow Central England Co-operative on Twitter: @mycoopfood, and on Facebook: facebook.com/centralenglandcooperative

Rob Smyth and James Brindle at Central England Co-operative on 01543 421390